Some other things we learned from Elder Peters Letters this week:
I really haven't been
sick yet, I am doing my best to stay healthy, but to be honest I think that I
am just not built for cold weather. This may be the first winter in 4 years
that I have not gotten a sinus infection that brings on other problems like
bronchitis and strep.
I am trying to stay
fit and healthy. I’m sure you have heard about my little runs that I do around
our compound, I also do pull-u[s and push-ups and I am trying to get stronger
in my upper body, I am sure that you are glad to hear.
Also you may have
noticed that I have a different haircut than I usually do at home. I needed
something that would work with wearing a bike helmet every day and so I have
grown my hair a little longer on the top and kind of combed it to the side and
back, most obruni missionaries have a haircut similar for the same reason. Also
you don't have to use much hair gel (if any) and it is fun for the little kids
to feel your hair.
Transfers are on the 8th
of Dec…(we are hoping that he stays in Kasoa for the time being.) The next one
will be in January. We will also have a big Christmas conference as a mission
on the 15-16 of December. I have found a good place that I can do a skype call.
It’s at a cafe near ShopRite. It would be awesome if grandma and grandpa were
around when I call.
Here is his letter to everyone:
Dear Family and Friends,
So I will start with my fun Ghana fact for the week. On the
roads everywhere you go there are people selling things on their heads, in
little carts, or in this case in insulated thermal backpacks. Dudes walk around
the streets of Kasoa with igloos (basically) with backpack straps on them and a
little hose and sell coffee. They have little plastic bags that they will fill
with the coffee and then tie them off and you bite the end and drink them like
a sachet. Purchasing things here is really interesting that way. This morning I
was taking my laundry out in front of our compound and a lady walked by selling
laundry detergent. SCORE! I love it when the stuff you need literally walks
strait to you. Other times you will have to spend 20 minutes to go to the
provision shop to buy laundry detergent...
Desmond called us this past week and we have been able to
meet with him once; he keeps falling through on the appointments we have set up
though. We had two investigators come to church this past week. One was taught
by missionaries about a year ago and was really stubborn and refused to come to
church. His wife was baptized but he was not, he still didn't want to join. his
name is Jude, he has come to church 3 times in a row now, I taught him the law
of chastity this past Sunday and he knows the lessons really really well (makes
since he's been investigating the church for a long time) he will be baptized
on December 27. The other is Douglas.
Dougy Dougy we call him. he is a from Nigeria and will go
back there in 2 months, his sister and her husband live in our ward with their
young family and we have been going to their house to teach Douglas and have
family nights with them. I am a little bit concerned about baptizing him because
we will baptize him here in Ghana and then he will go to school back in Nigeria
in 2 months. We have more than enough time to teach him and to fellowship him,
even take him to do baptisms for the dead in the temple. We will be sure to
involve president in the final decision but for now, he has a baptism date on December
27. His sister’s husband really wants him to be baptized and says that he will personally
go to Nigeria with him to help him find a place to worship. We will see how it
goes...
We have been working a lot with Boniface and his footballer
friends and other people he knows in his area.
I contacted this family that are Roman Catholic but seem
really open and want to hear my message; the father was just beaming from ear
to ear whenever I talked to him. Don’t know if its just cuz I’m the first white
person they have ever personally talked to or if he is really interested.
The other day we were riding our bikes and we had been
contacting for about 2 hours. It was hot, I was tired, sort of frustrated with
appointments falling through when we rode past a group of kids playing
football. I dropped my bike and bag and ran over and took the ball and scored a
goal. They went nuts. Varo joined and we played with the kids for about 20
minutes or so. I have learned that sometimes when you feel like it the least is
the best time to smile and have some fun..
I have not got sick yet, and I’m not planning on it. I have
eaten some pretty weird stuff for sure, octopus, cow skin/stomach (that stuff
is really hard to chew by the way), strait crab, I bet I get chicken feet by
the end of the year, but I still haven't been sick. I do have the following
scripture to share that I wrote down in my journal:
"And now, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you
concerning yourselves: for I say unto you that ye must treasure up Pepto Bismol;
for behold it has been prepared for thee to deliver thy bowels from the torment
and wiles of the devil; that when he will send forth his mighty whirlwinds in
thy bowels, he will have no power to drag you down to the porcelain gulf of
misery and endless wo. Yea, it has been prepared for thee in these last days
that thou shalt bring forth good fruit continually and not upbraid." ya so
I’m doing fine, got my Pepto so I’m good.
I forgot to say something about the spirit that in my last
email. Often we call Him and he is called in the scriptures the comforter. I
think it’s true that the spirit can give us feelings of comfort but maybe we
should be comforted by the fact that he is there to be with us all the time. Maybe
we may not know exactly what to do, that’s ok, take comfort, give it your best
shot and know that the spirit is with you to guide you and help you.
So this past Sunday the city water pipe in front of our compound
fence broke. None of the roads in our area are paved so the ruts where the cars
drive have just eroded the dirt away and as cars drive over it the pipe will
eventually crack. So ours burst while we were at church and the neighbors
spared no time at all gathering as much water as they could. The water we use
in the apartment comes from our poly tanks not from the city so we have water,
it doesn’t belong to us. While the rest of my district took naps after church I
went outside with a bunch of pass along cards and restoration pamphlets and
rolled up my pants and put on my sandals and helped kids and women lift buckets
of water onto their heads to carry them back to their houses. I couldn't go
with them because I couldn't leave the apartment. they would usually come back
to get more water, some would even stop to rest and that’s when I would share
something small with them about the Book of Mormon or prophets or Jesus Christ.
I contacted 3 people I think and gave a bunch of pass along cards to tons of
little kids with our phone number on them hoping that their parents would maybe
get a hold of the number. If not at least that kid has a picture of Jesus to
hold onto for a little bit. I sent some pictures of me with some of them; it
reminded me of playing in the sprinklers with Josh when we were small.
So I hope that you all are doing great! Mom get better from
your knee surgery fast, but take it slow. Take the time to recover, then you
will be able to enjoy for a lot longer. Otiana? (Is it ok?)
I love you guys a ton!
Love, Elder Peters
No comments:
Post a Comment